Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-10-15
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
His lordship the Bishop Of Honolulu
AT ST. ANDREWS CATHEDRAL
ON SUNDAY EVENING. OCT. 9th, 1881.

2SAMUEL, rrrA7-"Know We not that there ia n
prince and great man fallen this day i'll lsrael?''
These words, uttered by David after the
ASSASSINATION Of Abner by Joab, express
the one prevailing sentiment throughout
Christendom, rs the mournful tidings spread
from land to land that the President of the
United States had fallen victim to the
assassin's bullet, from which it was hoped
he might recover
But God willed it otherwise. And if this
dispensation of His Providence be nscrutn.
/ BILE to us, we know that our lives arc in His
hand without whom not n sparrow falleth
Ato the ground; and we remember that it is
written, What do thou knowest not now, ,
but thou shalt know hereafter.
If we fail to decipher the handwriting on
the wall. of this we may be sure, that by
an event such as this, which thrills the
world with horror, God has n message for
us, and it will be we'll if, while we treasure
the memories that gather round the grave
of the deceased President, we endeavor to-
read the lessons that our Heavenly Father
%would have us learn by this dispensation of
His Providence.
Before we apply ourselves to that task :,
let me briefly explain why we had no special
service in this church on Thursday last.
As soon as learned that there would be al
kgeneral suspension Of business throughout
the city on that day, out of respect to the
memory of the fallen President, | felt i'll
would be right that we as a church should
take part in the days solemnities. For this|
Anglican Church in Hawaii, whilst being al
daughter of the Church of England,.is in as|
yclose communion with the Protestant Epis.
Scopal Church of America as with the Mother,
SChurch. We are not the church of oneE
nationality. But without regard to nation-I
tionalty, we embrace among our membersI
|all who unite with us in holding the cath.
Xolic faith. Whilst the memory Of the late!
gChief Justice is yet fresh among us, let noneI
&suppose that this Church is not Americana
las well as English, and has as close nnd|
xdeep sympathy with the sorrows of curl
&brethren in the United States as with thoseI
THAT may befall our brethren on British soil.
And hence it would have been fitting|
that on the day set apart as a day of
mourning for the late President, we as al
SChurch should have taken part in the day'sI
Esolemnities. But on learning that the Rep-l
representatives. of the Foreign Powers had &C.
$service appointed to be held elsewhere, II
felt that it would be most in accord With
1.-THE feelings of those most closely touched
Sby this tragic death, if it were made theI
Especial subject of this evenings service.
"Know ye not that there is a prince and
IA great man fallen this day in Israel
These words of David may be fifty applied
Ito the deceased ruler of the American peo-
Eple. That he was "a great man" is uni
Eversally testified. lie was great in privateI
las we'll as in public life, one who FRONT
Humble origin rose to lofty position-al
Hscholar, a soldier, statesman one Who'll
led q virtuous life, part of it spent in al
$scene surrounded by great temptations, yeti
%abstaining from habits and vices only tool
&common to men in the many positions heI
OCCUPIED; one who stood firmly in practical
8by the sound morals he was taught, and!
&himself taught to others; a good son, a noble,
example of iial piety, faithful and loving
Husband, an aifectionate father, conspicuous!
Nfor the felicity of his home in these reations;I
one whose cheerful courage, brave compos.!
&ure, unfaltering contemplation of all possible|
Sresults were the manifestations Of the inhu
ence Of sound mind shrined in the temple|
of sound body one whose conscience wasI
Sclear as far as human eye could discern 4
7one, who in an age when the foundations!
Iof morality are being sapped, and religion!
Sscorned, has left behind in the courage, the]
cheerfulness, the faith, the preparedness
Sustained through weeks Of intense suffer-
ing, SO many signal proofs of the influenced
and power Of morality and religion-suchI
AN one is truly to DO entitled Great. And
Ssuch "prince and great man" was the latel
President Garfield.
Let us for moment reflect on the imme.|
Zdiate result to the people of the assassiua-
Ition of Abner, over whom this eulogy was!
pronounced by David. Abner the son of Ner,!
was Commanders in. Chief of Saul's forces 4
and after the death of Saul, he supported
the claims of Ishbosheth, Sauls son, to the,
throne, and made him king over all Israel,
and SO limited the kingdom of David, whom
God designed as Sauls successor, and who,
had already received the amounting oil, to,
the tribes Of Judah and Benjamin. There
was constant war between the house of Saul
and the house of David, aud "Abner made
himself strong for the house of Saul" But
in consequence of an insult received from
lshbosheth, he 1850 lived to transfer his ale
giance to David. $50 do God to Abner,"
was bis vow, land more also, except as the
Lord hath sworn to David even SO l do
|" to him. To translate the kingdom from
the house of Saul, and to set up the
T" throne over Israel and over Judah from
|" Dan even to Beersheba." No sooner had
Joab, who was David's Commander.in.
kChief, learned that Abner was in commune.
cation with David for carrying out his de-
lsign Of bringing all the tribes of Israel TO-
Town allegiance to David, than on protence
Sof comforting with him he took him aside
lin the gate, and with one treacherous stab
Abner lay corpse at his feet.
Well might David, as he pronounced the
[eulogy over him which is now before US,
9have added, sand / am this day ueak
sthough anointed King and these men the