The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-09-24
HAW AIIAN GAZETTE
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY
CRAWFORD MACDOWELL.
WEDNESDAY. SEPT "a. 1879.
Well NferIred.

The following tribute Of respect, from Colonel
Robert G. Iugersoll, to the memory aud worth
of the late Rev. Alexander Clark. of Pittsburg.
Pennsylvania. possesses SO much truth, point
and pathos, that We gladly reprint it. 1t was
our good fortune to have known the reverend
gentleman in his lifetime, Of whom Col. lnger-
soil speaks in such eulogistic terms. and there
fore, we can vouch tor the truth of the eulogy.
Nor can we Tor moment refuse to accept as
true, the doctrine of universal love TO our spe.
cles which tie Rev. Mr.. Clark inculcated in hi.
lie, as the only true doctrine taught by Christ
when on earth and which is everywhere spread
. out upon the pages OF the New Testament. II
these doctrines alone we're taught from the
modern pulpit, and practced by all Christians. IL
would be the usheriug in Of an era OF peace and
love. which would win souls to Christ, and ill
our churches with legions OF sincere and honest
followers, who are repealed by reason of the big
otry aud intolerance which We fear is too preys-
lent in these days.
The clergy not very profuse in their eulo =
gums on the heretical Colonel lngersOll and
the Colonel is not given to panegyrics on the
clergy. So it is little more remarkable from
this fact TO note heartfelt tribute given by the
Alexander Clark, who recently died in Pitts
burg, Pa beloved by all who knew him and h
man well known in the literary as well as the
religious world. Mr.. Clark is the author of two
popular works titled Nv ork-day Christianity,
or the Gospel in the Trades aud The Gospel
in the Trees. with Pulpit Opinions on Common
Things"
Mr.. Clark was by birth aud education Pres
byterian OF the strctcst school. and by adoption
and life a Methodist of the republican order.
From such a Calvino-A A rmnan Christian one
might reasonably look for safe and evangelical
opinions. In the introduction TO his Nv k-day
Christianity" William Cullen Bryant, who
wrote the introduction, says: al particularly
like the catholic spirit which pervades these
pages, and the superiority to dogmatical
distinctions which they show, accounting HIN to
be true Christian, whatever bis sect, who Is a
sincere follower OF Jesus Christ and faithfully
obeys the law of love which he taught" The
following is the beautiful eulogy pronounced
upon Rev. Mr. Clark by Colonel Robert &. In
gersoll:
Upon the grave Of the Rev. Alexander Clark
| wish to place one flower. Utterly destitute of
cold dogmatic pride that often passes for the
love of God, without the arrogance Of the elect
simple free and kind-this earnest man made
ME his friend by beng mine. / forgot that he
was Christian, and he seemed to forget that
was not, while each remembered that the other
was man. Frank, candid and sincere, he prac-
ticed what he preached, and looked with the holy
eyes OF charity upon the failings and mistakes of
men, He believed in the power of kindness
and spanned with divine sympathy the hideous
gulf that separates the fallen from the pure.
Giving freely to others the rights that he
claimed for himself it never occurred TO bin that
his God hated q brave and honest unbeIiever
H.. -, h. i
that love respects that hatred has DO saving
power, and that in order to be Christian it is
not necessary to become less than Il man. He
knew that no one can be maligned into kindness /;
that epithets cannot convince; that curses are
not arguments and that the finger of scorn never
points towards heaven. With The generosity of
an honest man, be accorded to oil the fullest
liberty of thought, knowing. as he did, that in
the realm of mind chain is but a curse
For this man / entertained the profoundest
respect. ln spite of the taunts and jeers of his
brethren. be publicly proclaimed that he would
treat lnhdels with fairness and respect; that he
would endeavor to convince them by argument
and win them with love. He insisted that the
God he worsbipped loved the wellbeIng even of
an atheist In this grand position be stood al
most alone. Tender just, and loving where
others were harsh. vindictive and cruel, be chal-
lenged the respect and admiration of every hon.
est man. A few more such clergymen might
drive caIumny from the lips of faith and render
the pulpit worthy of respect.
The heartiness and kindness with which this
generous man treated me can never be excelIed
He admitted that had not lost and could not
lose single right by the expression of my hon.
est thought. Neither did he believe that SER
want could win the respect of a generous master
by prosecuting and malgnng those whom the
master would willingly forgive.
While this good man was living his brethren
blamed him for having treated me with fairness
But, trust, now that be has left the shore
touched by the mysterious sea that never yet
has borne on any wave the image OF homeward
sail, this crime will be forgiven him by those
who still remain to preach the love of God.
His sympathies were not confined within the
prison of creed, but ran out and over the walls
like vines, hiding the cruel rocks and rusted bars
with leaf and flower. He could not echo with
his heart the fendsh sentence of eternal fire.
In spite of book.and creed, he read, "between the
lines" the words of tenderness and love, with
promises for all the world. Above, beyond the
GOgmas Of his church-humaue even to the verge
of beresy-causing some to doubt his love of
God because he failed to bate his unbelieving
fellow men, he iabored for the welfare of man
kind, and to his work gave up bis life with all
his heart. ROBERT q. issERsoII.
Washington, ID. c.. July ii 1879