Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1875-09-16

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his pastoral labors, and it is the good for
tune ot Mr.. Wright that he learned his
theology under the tutilage Of this great
and good man. After an appropriate cx:
ordium-a generalization Of the scripture
quoted, the speaker entered upon II nara
tive discourse, culogistic of Mr.. Finney.
We shall attempt no more than to present
in our own language, brief synopsis Of
the eulogy.
The carly years Of Mr.. Finney's life
were passed with hut little advantage eth.
er Of mental or OF moral training. His
parents were non.profcssors. He never
heard a prayer in his fathers house Until
after he had been into the world to
make name and a fortune for himself, |
and returned to the parental mansion as
visitor. While engaged in the study and
practice Of the law, which he had chosen |
as his profession and business, he vas con.
vertcd. 81 positive was the change
wrought in him and 40 decided were his
convictions of duty that lie instantly lie.
cided to preach the gospel and con,menc.
ed the work. The first, and immediate
fruit of his labor, was the conversion of
the gentlcman-a judge of much ability,
under whose instruction he was pursuing
the study of the law. A few days after
Mr.. Finncy's conversion, he met his faith.
er, to whose salutation -inquiring after
his health, he replied, II am we'll father,
in body and in soul, and Immediately Set
himself about the work of bringing his
father to the Savior, and in a very brief
period had the pleasure of witnessing his
triumphant conversion. About this time
he was waited upon by one of his clients
anxious concerning suit that had been
entrusted to the management Of the young
Attorney, and inquiring about it. Mr. Fin.
| ncy told him that he had received re-
tainer from the Lord, and that someone
else must attend to his cases in court. He
entered at once upon course Of training
for the active work Of preaching the gos-
pei, and in few years became the most
noted minister Of the age. He began and
carried on a revival extending throughout
New York and New England, which is
entirely without parallel in the history
of this or Of any other country He then
settled in the city of New York occupy.
ing the old Bowery Theatre until he out
grew its limits, when the Broadway Tab
ernacle was built for his occupancy, a place
in which thousands were brought to a
knowledge Of the truth. 1t was here that
he inculcatcd those bible doctrines that
revolutionizcd the theology of the world,
and established the fact that man has an
agency in procuring his own salvation,
that he is not obliged to sit for years be-
wailing his lost condition, and waiting
for God to be gracious to him, but that
lie has both tho power and the privilege
to renounce sin, and to accept the prom
Uses and be christian whenever he will
this present moment if lie desires it. A
single hours continuance in sin is the
fault of the sinner. Chrjs:s' pardon may
be had at any MON cnt. How that thcolo-
gy brought God and man together and
rcconciled them. He always magnificd
the office and the work of the Holy Spirit,
which he taught to he the prompting and
the pcrsuading Of man to do his duty. He
made no war against other doctrines or
| other systems. 1t was his work to simpli-
fy and harmonize. He taught that one
man might be converted in one way and
another in different way but h { never lost
sight of the foundatinnal truth Of Gods
sovereignty and mans agency in the bust
ness of saving the soul. If he was without
the training of the schools, he WAS above
the necessity of training. Possessed of
great natural mental powers and mastery
eloquencc, he appealed to the conscience
and the judgment with force and per
suasiveness which were irresistible. The
pedantry Of book. lcarning and the soph,s-
try of casuists were impotcn' when array
ed against his perfect logic, or, cntanglcd
in the meshes of his syllog,sms. He never
male direct appeal to the feelings, but
carried everything by the directncss and
pcrspicuity Of his arguments. His picty
WAS far above his intellect, hut his heart
was mightier than either. There was a
power in his very presence which was
wonderful. Men have been converted
merely by contact with him,-such was
the potency Of the unconscious influence
which emanatcd from him constantly.
His life was grandly symmetrical. and his
i teaching has given tone to religious
thought wherever bible influence has pcnc-
trated. It was an carly conviction of his
that the decline of life should be its hap.
piest stage, and he lived to illustrate with
rare beauty, the perfection with which
the graces of christianity may embcllish
the lives of those who have devoted their
energies to Christ's services Who would
he idle when activity ripens snch fruit as
this: If we cultivate kindred spirit and
emulate kindred zeal we may with him
ultimately attain to that perfection of life
and of knowledge whereby happiness Is
made supreme, but the idle may not hope
> for such fruition, only the active, the earn
est, aud the pure shall shine as the stars
forever and ever.
As if to supplement the utteranccs Of
the speaker, and to brighten their signifi
canoe, there was placed on the wall ir
rear Of the pulpit, a wreath wrought from
cvergrccns, intcrlaccd with flowers, in tho
center of which was cross, on the lef
a harp, and on the right an anchor, while
above the whole,-bcautifu} in its struct
ure and its significance was crown, sug
gestive Of the reward which is promisct