Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-17
THE REV. ALEXANDER
CLARK.
Robert G.. IngersOll's Eloquent
Tribute to the Deceased Min

Robert q. ingersOus ElOquenl
Tribute to the Deceased Min
lister.
Upon the grave of the Reverend Alex
ander Clark | wish TO place one flower.
Utterly destitute OF cold dogmatlc
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 be-
ING mine. forgot that he was Chris
tian, and he seemed 20 forget that l 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 iall-
ings and mistakes of men. He believed
in the power of kindness, and spanned
with divine sympathy the hideOus gull
that separates the fallen from the pure.
Giving freely to others the rights that
he claimed for himself, il never occurred
20 him that his God hated brave and
honest unbeliever. He remembered
that even an infdel has rights that love
respects; that hatred has no saving pow
er. and that that in order TO be a Chris
tian il is not necessary to become less
than a man. He knew that no one can
be maligned into kindness; that epithets
cannot convince; that curses are not ar
guments, and that the finger of scorn
never points towards heaven. With
the generosity OF an honest man, he ac-
corded to all the fullest liberty OF
thought, knowing, as he did, that IN
the realm of mind chain is but a
curse.
For this man i entertained the pro-
foundest respect. In spite the taunts
and ieers of his brethren, he publicly
proclaimed that he would treat intidels
with fairness and respect; that he would
endeayor TO convince them byargument
and win them with love. He insisted
that the God he worshiped loved the
well being even of an atheist. Tender,
lust and loving where others were
harsh, vindictive and cruel, he challeng-
ed the respect and admiration of every
honest man. A few more such clergy
men might drive calumny 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 excelled. He admitted that |
had not lost and could not lose a single
RIGHT by the expression of nv honest
thought. Neither did he believe that a
servant could win the respect OF a gener-
Gus master by prosecuting and mallg-
ming those whom the master would will
ingly forgive.
While this good man was living, his
brethren blamed him for having treated
me with fairness. But, i trust, now
that ne has left the shore touched by
the mysterious sea that never yet has
borne on any wave the image OF q
homeward sail, this crime will be for
given 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. lie could not echo with
his heart the tiendish 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
dogmas of his church-humane even to
the verge of heresy-causing some To
doubt his love of God because he failed
10 hate his unbelieving fellow men, he
lahored for the welfare OF mankind, and
To- his work gave up his life with all his
heart.
ROBERT G.. lNGERSoLL.
WAsUISGToN, ID. c., July IL, 1879.