, 1877-01-14
VANDERBILT AND BLISS.

BEECHER'5 OPINION OF THEM.
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, at his meeting
of JAM 5, took occasion to comment on the loss
Of Messrs. Vanderbilt and Bliss. The following
abstract Of his remarks is from the New York
Herald:
Although there is q scale upon which We can
measure men, 1t is not altogether clear and dis
among useful men, those are lowest who work up
on matter. 1t is honest it is res pectable to be
husbandman. mechanic. q seafarng mau-to be
o. any ol 1nese al
these are useful, and directly una indirectly they
contribute to the happiness OF men, ret these stand
lowest Next come those who work upon tue
sought is srander. OF these I think they stand
lowest who work merely upon ideas-mere think
css discoveries Of TRUTH scientists and the whole
They stand higher than the artiaceE, but lowest
Of those who produce imp1essons On Eth hnnfn ,ha
Process posss' Of things in ali time would 60 far
toward ratifying this judgment, To touch mans
understanding Is to touch an important part, but
endure are faith, hope, and love; the Others are
relative to pass awaY. The very best knowledge,
the most clear truth that was eyer wEoneht Out,
imnerfcct and impure Next come the men who
develop the Imagination at all points, and highest
come those WHO develop disnositon, who mold the
T.. Cornelius Vanderbilt died yesterday, one OF the
most remarkable men that New York ever pro-
duccd-onc OF the cfearest heads. one vino had the
art OF turning thoughts into thinss, a man who
went step By step till he reached an extTaorol-
nary arc Of activity, with his understanding c1eag
TO the last. He il man who nag Gone 95eas M aeal
of That rank. Looking at his commercial life. lew
have cQualed, none have surpassed him, but there
It .tops 1t is true he gaye Church; 1t is true that
r; 1nto n endowed university,
Within few days another man died, not snr-
rounded By friends and physicians and nurses; not
with his name mentioned from daF 70 day IN !ne
papers, and the thermometer OF his life recorded
is in the Weather Department; he died death OF
most unutterabc horror, for in that plunge through
the broken bridge ut Ashtabnla II seems as tnough
done By truising, and burning and drowning was
done, and there Afr. Bliss died, man whose whole
life was devoted to softening ana ennopalnS me
like Watts and Wes!ey's, and yet they have been
power in this land. The hymns written By Mr.
Bliss have been silent influence, gentle as me
rain of summer and they have moved thousands
and tens of thousands Of tender roots to spring mp
in the hearts Of men. Hero u man almost M
known, except as sweet singer N lsiaci e. h. he
to compare the two except to say that it seems to
me Mr. Bliss has done far grandcr WORK,
he has opened the door for souls. he has caused
love TO blossom, he has brought something
OF the spirit of heaven down to earth he bus been
a tongue ofthe Lord 1t Is nob!e liie- 1t IS all
folly for US to say We can do nothing, because We
cannot follow the exact plan Of some snch life. It
is given to us all TO do some Of that work noble
work in life is open every one in come direction
After Mr.. Bcecher finished speaking he ::aye an
ounortunity. as usual, for any one who wished to
mike remarks. and Brother Lyman Abbott rose and
said he had conversation last evening tThnrsday9
van,lcrnilt Is liking for the Pilgrims Progress and
for several particular hymns, also for the sing
ing OF several more by his wife, and Brother Ao-
derhilt iustjce ~ regards spiritual things.
.sYes, " said Mr.. Beechcr. ~ an glad he liked
the HYMNS but If he had sung them thirty years
nat sing hymns as long HI he could get about, We
don't want to give God the fa. end of our lives.
If our God deserves anything lie deserves every
thing. Life is not long enough nor strong enough
tn oife honor to Him who died for US. y